Friday 22 November 2013 17.30 EST
First published on Friday 22 November 2013 17.30 EST

Manuel Pellegrini has suggested that Joe Hart faces a long wait before he is restored as Manchester City's first-choice goalkeeper, with the manager hinting that Costel Pantilimon will again be selected for Sunday's visit of Tottenham Hotspur.

Hart last played for City a month ago, in the 2-1 defeat at Chelsea for which he was culpable for a mistake that allowed Fernando Torres's winner.

Hart was selected for England's 1-0 defeat by Germany in Tuesday evening's friendly but the manager, asked what the 26-year-old has to do to become his No1 again, said: "We'll see what happens in the future. With all the players in the squad – not only the keepers – I have to choose the final starting XI each week. We'll see – it depends on the performance of him and the performance of Pantilimon. Now we are playing Pantilimon, so Hart must wait."

Pellegrini has no qualms about the Romanian performing in any high-profile matches City may have despite him having made only two Premier League starts, against Norwich and Sunderland.

"If I was worried about him he would not be here. We'd have changed him at the beginning of the year," said the manager. "He remains here because he is a good keeper as well. I think all the players are in this squad because they are good players. That includes goalkeepers and outfield players."

By charging out to a second-half Germany through ball and colliding with Chris Smalling, Hart fashioned a similar mix-up to that which allowed Torres to score, but Pellegrini claimed he was pleased with Hart's display in international colours.

"It was very important for him to play with England," the manager said. "It is a good test. He did very well."

Asked directly how close Hart – who may feature in Wednesday's Champions League group game with Viktoria Plzen as it is a dead rubber – is to a recall, Pellegrini said: "I don't know. It was most useful for him to play the game [for England]."

City's dire away record of four defeats from six outings has left them seven points behind the leaders, Arsenal. Yet Pellegrini can take heart from a perfect home record – 15 points from five games – so he would not be drawn if City cannot afford to lose again on their travels.

"You can always lose a game at home or away," he said. "You need a good average of points to try to fight for the Premier League. If we continue losing points away of course it will be more difficult but this can happen in football. But if we lost the next game away then won all the other games we also can win the league."

Pellegrini was evasive regarding his medical staff's view on what may be causing Vincent Kompany's ongoing troubled injury record. While the captain remains out with a thigh injury, the manager said: "I talk with him [doctor] but I can't tell you the opinion."

During the past three seasons, Kompany has struggled to be a regular presence due to his problems, so might Pellegrini seek to buy a central defender in January? "We'll see what happens in December but we hope Vincent can continue in a normal way until the end of the season," he said.